Prefabricated plumbing partition

ABSTRACT

A prefabricated plumbing partition adapted for installation in the wall of a building, comprising a plumbing assembly encapsulated in a cellular polyurethane block. Water supply or drain nipples protruding from the block permit two or more such partitions to be joined together by penetrating the plastic of an adjacent block to form an easily transported package unit which requires no additional protective packaging.

United States Patent 1 1 [111 3,766,574

Smid, Jr. 1 Oct. 23, 1973 [54] PREFABRICATED PLUMBING PARTITION2,653,357 9/1953 Sanders et al. 4/2 1 l 8 R h 1 Invent n w Des Planes,31235135? 311331 "3152336, a1 2% 0cm) 871,510 3/1953 Germany 4 2 [22]Filed: Oct. 22, 1970 375,300 3/1964 Switzerland 4/2 [21] Appl' 83031Primary Examiner-Henry K. Artis Attorney-Merriam, Marshall, Shapiro &Klose [52] US. Cl. 4/191, 4/2, 52/202, [511 1 1 c1 $54 12?) ABSTRACT 11c 58 Field or Search 4/191, 192, 1,2; -f l i if g fi P fP "29" 52/220211; 164/45; 53/27; 206/46 PC a mu 1n t e wa 0 a n1 mg, compr smg a p ummg assembly encapsulated in a cellular polyurethane [561 $211011;mias'oizizrzzzfs 52:12:31,112; 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS joined together bypenetrating the plastic of an adja- 3,51 Breden X cent to form an easilytransported package unit 0/1971 Armstmng which requires no additionalprotective packaging. 2,645,783 7/l953 Allen 4/191 3,363,957 1/1968Basch 206/46 FC X 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PREFABRICATED PLUMBINGPARTITION This invention relates to a prefabricated plumbing partitionintended for installation in the wall of a building. More particularlyit relates to a prefabricated plumbing partition comprising apreassembled plumbing system encased in a block of cellular plasticmaterial, the partition being adapted to facilitate transportation tothe job site as well as installation in the building wherein it is to beused.

The conventional practice for installing the plumbing system in newbuilding construction involves the cutting and assembly on the job ofthe various lines and fittirig's which are used. It is obvious thatprefabrication of such plumbing installations in a factory ispotentially a more efficient and economical procedure than onth'e-spotassembly, particularly when a number of essentially identical plumbinginstallations are to be made, as in the case of multiple dwelling units,hotels, apartment houses, schools, and the like. A number ofprefabricated plumbing systems have been proposed in the past. Theseconsisted of assemblies containing the various lines and fittingsassembled as necessary for the job. Since such structures are easilydamaged during shipment to the job site, it was necessary to enclose theassembled plumbing system in a frame designed to support the severalcomponents in the proper arrangement. In addition, suitablepackaging wasnecessary to protect the assembly during shipment and installation. Thenecessity for using such supporting structures and protective packagingaround the prefabricated plumbing assembly, however, markedly increasedthe cost and thus reduced the advantages of prefabrication of theassembly.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided aprefabricated plumbing partition comprising a plumbing assemblyconstructed in accordance with the best plumbing standards, whichassembly is encased in a block of cellular foamed-in-place polyurethane,the block having dimensions adapted to fit in the wall of a building.The polyurethane foam, which is easily and inexpensively cast about theassembly serves the dual purpose of supporting the components of the assembly in proper position as well as servingas a protective containerfor shipment to the point of use.

The plumbing partition of the invention will be better understood fromthe following detailed description thereof, taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a typical prefabricated plumbingpartition of the invention, comprising the necessary water supply linesand waste and vent stacks required for installing a typical bathroomencased in a block of polyurethane foam;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view showing the plumbing assembly which iscontained within the polyurethane block, the block being shown inoutline form;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the partition of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a suitable mold useful for molding thepolyurethane block used in the partition of FIG. 1, most of the top halfof the mold being torn away to show the interior construction;

FIG. 5 is a partial section along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4, showing themeans used for reinforcing the faces of the wall and for positioning andsealing the edges of the mold halves; and

FIG. 6 is a top view of a number of prefabricated plumbing partitionswhich have been arranged to form a self-sustaining package for shipmentto the job site.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the partition 10 of the invention consists ofa prefabricated plumbing assembly 11 which has been encased in a blockof cellular polyurethane 12. In FIG. 2, the block 12 is shown in outlineform so as to make visible the enclosed plumbing assembly. The plumbingsystem shown in these figures is one intended for installation in abathroom and contains complete facilities for a water closet, lavatory,and combination shower and bath tub, together with the associated watersupply pipes and vent and soil stacks. Specifically, the systemcomprises water risers 13 and 14 which supply cold and hot waterrespectively to the assembly. Typically, the water enters risers 13 and14 at the bottom. The upper ends of these pipes may be capped orconnected to extensions for feeding other systems, as desired. At theleft side of the partition is soil stack 16, which is provided at itslower end with a Y-fitting 17, adapted to receive water closet bend 18,which is installed at the job site and is not in itself apart of thepartition of the invention. At the right side of partition 10 is ventstack 15. Cold water riser 13 is connected by means of appropriate pipesand fittings to supply nipple 19 which extends a short distance out ofthe front face of partition 10 and serves as a cold water supply linefor a lavatory (not shown). Hot water riser 14 is similarly connected toprovide a source of hot water via supply nipple 21 to the lavatory. Coldwater riser 13 is also connected to water closet supply nipple 22 whichsupplies water to a water closet (not shown) to be installed above watercloset bend 18. Like nipple l9, nipples 21 and 22 extend a shortdistance out of the face of block 10, as shown in FIG. 3.

At the right end of the partition, tub and shower mixing valve 23 isconnected by suitable pipes to hot and cold water risers 13 and 14.Leading vertically upward out of valve 23 is a shower riser 24 to theend of which a shower pipe 25 is attached at the job site. Leadingdownwardly from valve 23 is the tub supply nipple 26 which like nipples19, 21 and 22 extends a short distance (about l-3 inches) out of thefront face of block 12. Directly beneath valve 23 is tub trap 27 whichas indicated is rotatable about a vertical axis to coincide with thedrain of a tub (not shown) to be installed in this area.

Directly below and between cold and hot water supply nipples 19 and 21is drain 28 which serves the lavatory, and is connected via lines 29 and31 to the Y- fitting 17 at the lower end of soil stack 16. In accordancewith desirable plumbing practice, each of the drains, (i.e., tub trap27, lavatory drain 28, and Y- fitting 17) is provided with its ownconnection via lines 32, 33 and 34 to vent stack 15.

, Block 12 is provided with two vacant areas which are devoid of thecellular polyurethane foam. At the right side of the block, above trap27, an area 35 is left vacant to facilitate connection of the bath tubfittings during installation of the tub. At the left side of the block12, vacant area 40 is provided in which is located a system of swingjoints to allow for thermal expansion and contraction ofthe hot and coldwater risers. These open areas in the foam block are not essential;their presence or absence will be dictated by the requirements of theparticular installation, as will be apparent to those skilled in theart.

In fabricating the partition shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the individualpipes and fittings are first assembled in a conventional manner, afterwhich the plumbing assembly is inserted in a mold of suitable size andshape and a polyurethane plastic is foamed in place around it. Asuitable mold for this use is shown in FIG. 4.

The mold shown in FIG. 4 is made in halves, the first half, usuallypositioned vertically, forming a jig in which the piping is assembled.After the piping is complete and in place, the second half of the moldis installed and cellular polyurethane is foamed in place around thepiping assembly. Each of the mold halves, which are essentially mirrorimages of each other except for the openings therein, consists of a flatsheet 36 of a suitable material such as reinforced fiberglass providedaround its periphery with upstanding walls, e.g., 37 and 38 which aresuitably notched and shaped to accept the finished plumbing assembly.Interior partitions, e.g., 39 and 41, are arranged in those areas whereit is desired that a void be provided in the molded material. One wall,e.g., 42, preferably along the dimension constituting the top of thefinished partition, is provided with a vent shaft 43 through which theplastic material may be inserted into the mold. In order to facilitaterapid addition of the plastic to the mold, it may be found desirable tomake the entire wall 42 in which vent shaft 43 is positioned removableso as to facilitate the rapid introduction of the polyurethane foammaterial into the assembled mold.

To increase the rigidity of mold it is advantageous to reinforce it withsuitable reinforcing elements such as angle iron at appropriatepositions such as along the flat faces of the mold, e.g., 44 and aroundthe periphery of the halves of the mold. FIG. shows a detail of aportion of the mold illustrating the use of reinforcing material.Sections of angle iron 46 and 47 are attached to the matching rims ofthe mold halves in order to strengthen these portions of the mold andfurther to provide a seal for preventing the escape of polyurethane foamduring the foaming process. In order to assist in properly matching thehalves of the mold, angle iron 46 is provided with a locating pin 48which enters a suitably placed hole 49 in matching rim 47. Additionallocating pins of this type may be located as necessary at otherlocations in the mold.

The following procedure is used to produce a prefabricated plumbingassembly encased in a polyurethane foam block in accordance with theinvention. After the plumbing assembly is fabricated, preferably usinghalf of the mold held vertically, as a jig, the other half of the moldis put in place, the locating pins in the peripheral rims are insertedinto the corresponding holes of the other half of the mold and thematching rims are clamped together at suitably spaced intervals aroundthe periphery of the mold. If necessary, to prevent leakage of thepolyurethane reaction mixture, suitable caulking may be applied to theexternal openings in the mold through which pipes protrude. The interiorfaces of the mold are preferably coated with a conventional releaseagent to permit release of the molded partition from the mold after themolding operation is completed. It may also be desirable to apply themold release agent to those portions of the piping assembly which aresubject to large temperature fluctuations, e.g., the hot water riser, topermit their free expansion and contraction independently of the foamedplastic material and without distortion of the entire partition.

With the mold held so that the charging opening is uppermost, a chargeof a foamable polyurethane mixture is poured quickly into the moldthrough the vent 43 or, if the wall holding the vent is removable,through the opening left by removing the wall. After the pouringoperation is completed, the top of the mold, if removable, is replacedand held in place by any suitable means, such as gravity. After the foammaterial has risen and set (typically in approximately 3 to 6 minutes)the mold is opened and excess material and flashing is trimmed away.

The polyurethane foam which is used to encapsulate the plumbing assemblyof the invention may be produced by reacting an alkyd resin componentcontaining an alkyd resin, e.g., a condensation product of a polyhydricalcohol and a polycarboxylic acid, water, and a catalyst. Polyurethanefoam may also be produced by reacting an alkyd resin with a sufficientamount of polyisocyanate to make a prepolymer containing unreacted NCOgroups. The prepolymer is then reacted with water or a water-catalystmix to produce a foamed-in-place polyurethane foam, as will be apparentto those skilled in the art.

The polyurethane foam used in forming the partitions of the inventionpreferably has a density of about 2-3 pounds per cubic foot and acompressive strength of about 35-45 psi, thus permitting a weightbearing capacity of about lbs. per lineal inch on a 4 9% thickpartition, a typical size. In addition to serving as a medium forprotecting and holding the assembled plumbing unit in place, thepolyurethane foam is light, thermally insulating, and sound reducing. Italso resists combustion so that with a suitable conventional dry wall orplaster exterior facing, a desirable fire rating can be obtained.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, the finished partition contains a number ofpipes extending from at least one of its major faces, e.g., water supplynipples 19, 21 and 22. In a partition designed for use in supplyingplumbing facilities to two adjacent rooms, e.g., a kitchen and abathroom, the partition may be installed in the wall separating therooms and thus may have pipes extending from both of its major faces.These protruding pipes may be used in an advantageous aspect of theinvention to assemble a package unit consisting of several moldedassemblies which are self-adhering to a sufficient extent to permittransportation of the package unit to a building site without additionalpackaging. A top view of such a package unit is shown in FIG. 5, inwhich several (seven) molded partitions have been placed in positionwith the protruding supply nipples of one partition adjacent the plasticof another partition. When the partitions are forced together in thisposition, the protruding nipples of one partition penetrate the plasticof the adjacent partition. In some instances it may be desirable tooffset the partitions laterally, so that the nipples of one partitionmay penetrate the adjacent partition without striking the enclosedpiping assembly. When assembled in this manner, the individualassemblies adhere to each other sufficiently to permit the entirepackage unit to be lifted, as by a fork lift truck, and shipped by railor truck to a building site without the necessity for any additionalexterior packaging or banding. At the building site the individualassemblies are easily pried apart and used.

It should be understood that the specific piping arrangement describedabove and shown in FIG. 2 is a matter of choice, depending on therequirements of the installation which is to be served and also of theprovisions of the local building code. In general, the only requirementwhich the plumbing system must meet in order to be suitable for use inthe invention is that it must have a size and shape suitable for beingencased in a block of plastic material small enough in thickness to beenclosed within a wall of the structure in which it is to be used. Theplumbing partition should also have at least one and preferably two ormore outwardly projecting sections of pipe (e.g., supply nipples 19, 21,22 and 26) which extend beyond at least one of its major faces, in orderto permit stacking the finished plumbing partitions in such a mannerthat the projecting pipes can penetrate into the plastic material of theadjacent assembly and thereby form a self-adhering and selfsupportingmulti-unit package which can be shipped to the building site without thenecessity for additional protective packaging or even any need for tyingthe individual assemblies together.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, as modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A prefabricated plumbing partition adapted to be installed within thewall of a building comprising an operative plumbing assembly containingat least one water supply pipe, one soil stack and one vent stack, saidarrangement being encapsulated in an integral, foamed-in-place block ofsolid low density cellular polyurethane, said block having two majorgenerally parallel faces and having a portion of said assemblyprotruding from at least one of said faces to a length sufficient topermit combining said partitions into a self-sustaining package unitheld together solely by penetration of said protruding portion of onepartition into the polyurethane block of an adjacent partition.

2. A prefabricated plumbing partition in accordance with claim 1 inwhich said polyurethane has a density of about 2-3 pounds per cubic footand a compressive strength of about 34 45 pounds per square inch.

3. The partition of claim 1 in which said protruding portion is locatedon only one of said major faces.

4. The partition of claim 1 in whcih said assembly protrudes from bothof said major faces.

L 3 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFECE EERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION @awn No- 3,766,5 74 Dat c} October 23, 1973 liwmfi fl 'He hrv A.'. Smi d Jir.

It is-certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

@010 6, line 19'; "34 45" shouldbe "35-45".

Signed andse al edthis 19th day bf February 19 74.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.-FLETCHER,JR MARSHALL DANN H Attestlng Offi f v Commissionero,f Patents

1. A prefabricated plumbing partition adapted to be installed within thewall of a building comprising an operative plumbing assembly containingat least one water supply pipe, one soil stack and one vent stack, saidarrangement being encapsulated in an integral, foamed-in-place block ofsolid low density cellular polyurethane, said block having two majorgenerally parallel faces and having a portion of said assemblyprotruding from at least one of said faces to a length sufficient topermit combining said partitions into a self-sustaining package unitheld together solely by penetration of said protruding portion of onepartition into the polyurethane block of an adjacent partition.
 2. Aprefabricated plumbing partition in accordance with claim 1 in whichsaid polyurethane has a density of about 2-3 pounds per cubic foot and acompressive strength of about 34-45 pounds per square inch.
 3. Thepartition of claim 1 in which said protruding portion is located on onlyone of said major faces.
 4. The partition of claim 1 in which saidassembly protrudes from both of said major faces.